Heads up, Troopers. (yeah, sorry ...) There are lots of opportunities to get your head whacked, bashed, slammed, bopped, and your bell rung when working around horses. You do NOT have to black out to have had a concussion. Even a relatively mild concussive event can set you up for significantly greater danger from a SECOND strike, a repeat concussion. A horses head can weigh about 10% of its total body weight (scienceofmotion/documents/increased_weight_on_the_forelegs.html) So, thats an 80 to 120 pound hard bone sledge hammer swinging around while youre wrestling with the halter or bridle; a heck of a big slam if the horse just whips around to nip a fly, and youre in the way. Then theres the old bread falls peanut butter face down on expensive rugs problem - the higher you are on the horse or the faster shes going, the more likely you are to come off like a lawn dart ... Oh - and then there are those hooves. Danger lurks. Ive got 2 titanium plates to prove it and still get nervous with left hinds. Read up about concussions; learn about PCS - post concussive syndrome, the conditions that can cause head aches and a variety of serious delayed dangers. Remember that the brain can rattle around in there a bit, and thus can get damaged on the direct impact and as it slams into the inside opposite the strike (contra-coup). We are reading more about football players and boxers developing issues long after they leave the field or the ring. Ask yourself how many times youve fallen or whacked you head. oh ... and helmets WORK.
Posted on: Mon, 10 Mar 2014 14:56:57 +0000